There are lots of different affiliate programs out there & they vary both in the merchandise they offer and in the quality of the program.

Simple linking

In its simplest form, an affiliate program has you create a simple link from your site to the retail site. The retailer will typically give you some sort of artwork or logo, along with a special URL to use for the link. Keep in mind, the URL doesn't usually lead to a special page just for your visitors. Instead, the URL contains an extra identifying code that lets the retailer's Web server keep track of where people are coming from. In this situation, creating the link is a simple process.
Affiliate program - resources

Tag generators

Many affiliate programs allow you to feature specific products on your Web site and then link directly to those products on the retail site. In that way, you can create an electronic storefront that features only the products you want showcased on your site. These are the best affiliate programs, because they allow you to be "choosy" about what you present to your site visitors. That way, people who trust you because of the information on your site will have more focused items to consider.

A tag generator is simply an on-line form that, as the name implies, generates the code you need to add to your Web page to feature a specific item. The tag generator takes into account who you are and what item you want to feature.
Affiliate program - resources

Here are a couple tips for choosing the right affiliate program for you.

• Does the company offer products related to your website?

• Some affiliate programs enable you to sell products from multiple companies - which companies and products are available?

• Does the company make it easy to include links to their products, or do you need an in depth understanding of HTML?

• What % commission do you get on purchases

• Does the affiliate have consumer friendly policies - will your customers feel comfortable buying from them?

• Can you create a button that ads the item directly to the customer's cart right from your website?

• How frequently will you be paid?

Affiliate program - resources

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